Flora of New Zealand Series

Apeiba australis A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z. 1832, 301, t. 34.

Whau.

Shrub or canopy tree up to c. 6 m. tall; trunk up to 25 cm. diam., wood-weight very light. Branchlets, lvs, petioles, infl. densely clad in soft whitish branched hairs; bark grey; lf-scars ± oval. Lvs alt. on petioles up to 2 dm. long, us. less; stipules linear-acuminate, ± persistent. Lamina (5)-10-15-(25) × 5-10-15-(20) cm., obliquely very broad-ovate, abruptly acuminate, cordate at base, doubly crenate-serrate, sts obscurely lobed, 5-7-subpalmately lobed. Sepals acuminate; petals white, crumpled, (3)-4-5. Ovary hispid, 5-7-celled, capsule ± 2 cm. diam., subglobose, invested with rather rigid hairs c. 15-25 mm. long.

DIST.: Three Kings, N., S. Coastal to lowland forest, southwards to lat. 38° thence more local to 41°.

FL.- FT. 9-1.

Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 560) records measurements on Cuvier Id of "petioles 2 ft. long, with a blade 1 ft. 6 in. diam." The plant is subject to serious animal attack.